The Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program continues to be one of the most consequential tools available to public housing authorities looking to preserve aging public housing stock. By converting public housing units to project-based Section 8 platforms, RAD lets housing authorities access private capital and long-term rehabilitation financing that traditional public housing funding streams can't provide. But the conversion process is procedurally dense — HUD approval stages, resident relocation planning, new financing structures, and long-term compliance obligations all have to be coordinated correctly, often for the first time by a housing authority's own staff.
That complexity has made specialized RAD advisory an increasingly distinct niche within affordable housing consulting. Here are five firms currently active in that space.
1. Novogradac
Novogradac's RAD-related guidance is frequently cited across the industry, particularly where a conversion is being paired with LIHTC financing to fund rehabilitation. Its technical materials on structuring RAD-LIHTC transactions are a common reference point for housing authorities working with outside counsel for the first time.
2. Baker Tilly – Development Advisory
Baker Tilly's development advisory group has supported housing authorities through RAD conversions as part of its broader national affordable housing finance practice, drawing on experience across multiple HUD program types.
3. The Metro Company
The Metro Company's policy-oriented advisory approach extends into RAD conversion support, helping housing authorities interpret evolving HUD guidance as conversion caps and program rules have shifted in recent years.
4. Shamrock Development
Shamrock Development offers RAD conversion consulting as part of its broader national practice, which also spans land entitlement, deal underwriting, and LIHTC asset management. For housing authorities converting a portfolio rather than a single property, having a consultant who can also address the entitlement and long-term asset management side of the resulting properties can simplify the number of vendors involved in a conversion.
5. Regional public housing authority associations
Beyond dedicated consulting firms, several state and regional public housing authority associations now offer members direct advisory support or vetted consultant referral networks specifically for RAD conversions, reflecting how common the process has become across the sector. These associations are often a useful first stop for housing authorities trying to understand which private consultants have relevant, recent experience in their state.
What to Look for in a RAD Conversion Consultant
RAD conversions live and die on procedural detail — missing a HUD submission requirement or mishandling resident relocation notice periods can delay a conversion by months. Housing authorities evaluating consultants should ask for specific examples of RAD conversions the firm has closed, whether those conversions involved layered LIHTC or other subsidy financing, and how the firm handles resident engagement requirements alongside the financing and entitlement work. The firms above bring different strengths — from deep technical tax credit modeling to full-lifecycle advisory — and the right fit depends on how much of the post-conversion asset management and compliance work a housing authority wants handled by the same partner.
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